The Only Overkill Interview You Ever Need to Read

[Palabra de Dios]

Invisible Oranges has become one of my favorite online metal blogs. And stuff like this is why:

The interviewer asks Bobby Blitz (vocalist, Overkill) to go through and comment on every single album in the band's catalog, which if you didn't know is quite long! This is a great read; Bobby is the man. He's so honest and relatable. The online version also comes with YouTube videos of the albums themselves too. So if you wanna spend upwards of 16 hours listening to their music, go ahead! Enjoy guys.

http://www.invisibleoranges.com/2013/11/the-only-overkill-interview-you-ever-need-to-read/

 

[Riceloft]

That was a great read. I haven't listened to any Overkill, ever (Thrash isn't my thing), but this interview made me want to check some out.

 

[Jasonic]

Never listened to any Overkill ever?????????????

I dont know your age, but how can you not know Hello From the Gutter??????
Even the posers knew that one back in the day!

 

[eppst1]

That was a great read, thank you for sharing. Overkill is easily one of my favorite bands, been listening to them since the beginning.

 

[Mardoch]

Never listened to any Overkill ever?????????????

I dont know your age, but how can you not know Hello From the Gutter??????
Even the posers knew that one back in the day!

OMG THERE'S SOMEONE ON THE PROGPOWER FORUM WHO'S NOT A THRASH FAN!!!!!

I've never listened to them either.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

If you want to know what thrash metal is all about, their first four albums are all just perfect examples.

 

[Jasonic]

OMG THERE'S SOMEONE ON THE PROGPOWER FORUM WHO'S NOT A THRASH FAN!!!!!

Not what I meant.
Saying that Overkill are from a time where anyone into metal would at least know a song. That's like saying you are into metal but never even heard a Helloween song. I would find that hard to believe, even if you were a die hard death metal fan.

Anyhow.....................

 

[Random Axe]

Yeah, I may have seen a video or two from them on Headbanger's Ball, but I can't remember a single Overkill song. At first I thought they did Toxic Waltz, but that was Exodus, so further proof I don't know shit about thrash. Testament is the only one I thought was pretty cool. Just not my thing.

 

[Mardoch]

Not what I meant.
Saying that Overkill are from a time where anyone into metal would at least know a song. That's like saying you are into metal but never even heard a Helloween song. I would find that hard to believe, even if you were a die hard death metal fan.

Funny story, I don't listen to Helloween either. I couldn't pick them out of a crowd most likely.

 

[RiffDaemon]

That's like saying you are into metal but never even heard a Helloween song.

In my experience - with my metal-listening friends and message boards (Harmony Central Amp Forum being a prime example) - Power Metal is practically obscure stuff.

 

[rjrousseau]

Thank you so much for sharing this. Really looking forward to seeing them at the fest next year!! Have always been one of my favorites.

 

[OrionSon]

Well that was a fun read. I'll have to dedicate a week to listening to their whole catalog again. Even the 90's stuff that isn't as popular has some great gems hidden in there.

 

[Palabra de Dios]

These guys helped invent the genre we know as thrash metal. Come check out a song or two when they play. I think you'll be impressed.

 

[nomisofsiman]

That's like saying you are into metal but never even heard a Helloween song. I would find that hard to believe, even if you were a die hard death metal fan.

They aren't the most well known band and your last comment there had me laughing. You honestly think fans of extreme metal would have heard a Helloween song? I doubt that would be common.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Surprised he knocked UTI. Much prefer it to subsequent albums.

 

[RiffDaemon]

Speaking of UTI, I'm giving it a listen right now. I'm a complete noob to Overkill, and I like this a lot. Granted, it sounds like Udo fronting Anthrax at times - actually, a lot of the time - but I kinda dig that.

 

[PromisedLand]

The good thing about Overkill is that they don't change their setlist too much, so if you're not familiar with them, you can narrow it down to ~20 songs that you'll want to be familiar with before the show.

 

[miel]

Eternal Terror interview with Bobby ‘Blitz' Ellsworth
July 8, 2014

OVERKILL - Chasing the Thrash High

ProgPower mention:


What does the rest of 2014 into 2015 look like for the band in terms of touring? I know you'll be doing some dates in the fall here in North America, correct- including a special appearance in Atlanta, GA for the ProgPower festival?

"When we get down to Atlanta we are going to be the progressive Overkill. It's kind of cool to be the token band in a festival that is themed in that way. We've done it a few other times, where it is a pure heavy metal show and we are the thrash band, we did the Inferno festival in Norway which is a mostly black metal festival. I like some of those bands, I'm into the power and ferocity of it. We were the token thrash band held on Easter weekend. We went on at 5 minutes to midnight, it was Saturday into Sunday, and after two songs I walked up to the mic and said, ‘we are Overkill from the United States of America, we wish you all a Happy Easter!' and the whole place started cracking up. We had this big roar and from there the levity was broken, the tension lifted and it was a great show. So we will do Progpower and be the token thrash band, I'll figure out something sarcastic to say to them. We are touring North America with Prong in September, pack up and head over to Europe in October again with Prong, we will also add Enforcer from Sweden on that bill. This is our Killfest theme that we've developed over the last few years that has gone over quite successfully the past 8 years or so. After the holidays we may do some South American dates, Australia and the Pacific Rim are knocking on the doors for some dates. We are also setting aside two more tours in early 2015 for Europe and the United States- and that should bring us up to about May of 2015. So it's going to be good- and the whole thing kicks off in August in Canada, we are going to play on the Heavy Mtl festival in Montreal."



~Jen

 

[General Zod]

I too love Invisible Oranges. However, I think the Blitz interview that will appear in the ProgPower program is better than the ones posted here.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

I'm just happy there's a local Overkill show to go to in September.